Ms. Shundrell Spann

It’s late in the evening for 22-year-old Georgia State student Shundrell Spann. Her hair is pulled back neatly into ponytail and she rocks back-and-forth in her computer chair as she takes notes in her journalism class. Spann is a senior this year and although this class is a requirement for her minor, she may still be able to use it in her future career. She hopes to one day become a host for a popular Hip Hop and R&B radio station. The only thing holding her back now is an essay she must write for an internship at Atlanta’s Hot 107.9. “I don’t know how to write it without sounding redundant” she says. She asks the teacher for advice.Spann’s dreams started back in her home town, Jackson, Miss. She loves her family and is the middle child of three. She moved to Atlanta to go to college and stays on campus at the Georgia State Commons. Although her family is only a six-hour drive away, Spann says she still misses them dearly. Spann gives credit for her success so far to her parents. She says they were the ones who truly inspired her saying “they remained a positive influence on me and helped guide me.” Spann even says that if she had $1 million dollars she would spend it on her family. She continues to visit her family often. “I only have Tuesday and Thursday classes,” she says, “So I can drive there and have four day weekends.” Back in Atlanta, Spann enjoys going to clubs, playing basketball, watching movies, and bowling. When she’s not at school or having fun you can find her working at Ladies’ Foot Locker®. She’s a sales associate there. Although Spann plans to continue living in Metro Atlanta, she says if she could live anywhere, she would definitely live in New York. “The environment,” she says is what truly attracts her to the major city. “It’s more fast-paces,” she adds, “which makes it different than Atlanta.” Excited about the presidential race, Spann says that she is hoping for Illinois Senator, Barrack Obama. “He’s well-educated,” she says and adds that she would love to see him as the “first Black president.” The thing Spann finds most interesting in the news today however, is the mysterious death of Actor Heath Ledger. “I just want to know how he died,” she says. She is very surprised by his death all together. Her favorite music is Hip Hop and R&B, which explains why she wants work at a Hip Hop and R&B radio station. The summer internship means a lot to her. She would like to accomplish that before graduating next Fall. Until then, Spann will continue working hard to achieve her goals which includes writing a 2-paged profile on a class member. She turns her chair to the side and displays a confused expression. She holds up her paper scribbled with notes and asks, “How do you get two pages out of this?”